Sam Smith joins the BBC Concert Orchestra for a retrospective look at their seminal debut solo album In the Lonely Hour

So, when it was announced that singer-songwriter Sam Smith (who is nonbinary and uses they pronouns) would be performing this year, it shouldn’t really have caused that much of a stir.

However, it seems some regular Prom-followers were a little concerned by the announcement – and a lot of the social media reactions focused on what Sam, who has performed in some risqué outfits in recent years, would wear.

Sam was keen to put people’s mind at rest. On an episode of Nick Grimshaw and Annie Macmanus’s BBC Sounds podcast Sidetracked this week, they said: “I love the Proms, it’s great. And everyone needs to relax, I’m not going to get my clothes off!”

Instead, they will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of their debut solo album, In the Lonely Hour.

The artist made their first chart appearance in 2012 when they featured on Disclosure’s single Latch, and enjoyed more success the following year with Naughty Boy’s La La La.

But it In the Lonely Hour that really established them as an international star, reaching number one in the UK and number two in the USA.

Now, Sam is joined by the BBC Concert Orchestra under conductor Simon Hale to perform the album, including songs such as Stay with Me and Lay Me Down, but we are also promised some surprises.

Speaking on Sidetracked, Sam said: “It’s an opportunity for me to just remind people of my love of music, especially British music – and where I’ve come from. I want to show people a little bit of where I come from musically.”

And they’ve got the seal of approval from Radio 3 director Sam Jackson, who said: “I think what you’ll see is a performance that is entirely appropriate for the Proms and entirely appropriate for the audience in attendance.

“This is very much a Prom – it’s not Sam Smith at the Royal Albert Hall. The look and feel will be entirely appropriate for that festival.”

That touches on another potential objection from classical music aficionados who don’t care what Sam might wear but do worry that inviting pop starts to take part makes the event feel more like any other festival.

That’s an impression outgoing BBC Proms director David Pickard is keen to correct, saying: “This isn’t just another trip after Glastonbury, this is something very special and we’re excited about the idea of opening up a different type of music to the Proms, but actually retaining the sense that this is an orchestral festival.

“And hopefully it will bring in the sort of audience that might not necessarily come to the Proms but now feel very welcome.”

Certainly, everyone will be welcome to tune in tonight as Sam reminds us that despite any controversies about their dress sense, it’s their voice and songwriting that made them a star.